The present invention relates to a connector provided with a means for preventing incorrect fitting.
A partitioned electrical connector is formed from a male connector, this being provided with a plurality of fitting cavities in an anterior face thereof, and a plurality of female connectors which fit into the fitting cavities of the male connector. In the case where all the fitting cavities have the same shape, there is the danger that the female connectors might be fitted into the wrong fitting cavities.
One means to prevent this incorrect fitting has been to provide grooves or ribs on an inner circumference of each fitting cavity, the location of the grooves or ribs differing in each case, and to provide grooves or ribs on an outer circumference of each female connector, these corresponding respectively to the ribs or grooves of the fitting cavity with which it should be fitted.
In this conventional incorrect fitting preventing means, the ribs or grooves of the female connectors are provided on a plastic connector housing of the female connectors. The interior of this connector housing has a complex form, being provided with a plurality of cavities, plastic lances for retaining terminal fittings, etc.
In general, the more complex the shape of moulded components, and consequently the more complex the shape of a mould, the greater the production cost of that mould. The mould for the connector housing is already complex in shape, and providing ribs or grooves renders this shape even more complex, this increasing the cost of the mould, which is undesirable. Since there are a plurality of types of female connectors, costs increase greatly.
The increase in mould costs which arise out of providing this type of incorrect fitting preventing means is not limited to partitioned connectors. It is equally applicable to connectors wherein a single male connector is fitted to a single female connector, for example for ensuring correct orientation. The present invention has taken the above problem into consideration, and aims to reduce the mould costs of a connector provided with an incorrect-fitting preventing means.
According to the invention there is provided an electrical connector comprising a frame defining a symmetrical cavity therein, and an insert insertable into said cavity in a close fitting manner, the inner circumference of said cavity and the outer circumference of said insert having mutually engageable discontinuities adapted to ensure a predetermined orientation of said insert in said cavity wherein said insert comprises a housing adapted to receive electrical terminal fittings, and an orientation member for attachment to said housing, the discontinuity of said insert being provided on said orientation member.
Such an arrangement allows a common housing to be utilized in a plurality of similar cavities, each housing having a unique orientation given by the orientation member. Since the housing is generally a rather complex moulding, costs can be reduced.
Preferably the orientation member is at the rear of the housing so that the corresponding discontinuity can be immediately adjacent the mouth of the cavity. In this way a more interior part of the cavity can present a smooth continuous circumference adapted to be contracted by a peripheral seal of the housing.
In a preferred embodiment, the housing and orientation member sandwich a seal therebetween. In a case where wires of electrical terminals pass through the orientation member, such a seal is provided with apertures for the wires, and the seal may resiliently grip the wires in order to provide a moisture seal at these respective locations.